Creative Kids and Fun in the Sun.........

After a really lovely Easter break, where we even managed to get out a couple of times the our beautiful Bessy Van, it was back to grind with avengence, (I can't believe we're in the last term already....I don't know where the time's gone!)

This week I had my first visit to my placement school...the place I'm going to learn my trade...and it was great. As luck would have it, it was 5x5x5 day.

There was a range of different creative activities on offer, such as junk model making, a couple of 'light boxes' (over head projectors) with the wall covered in paper for the children to project onto and draw on, pots of beans and little trays to arrange them on. Anything not out can be got if the children request it. There was a loose theme of maps as the children had shown an interest during an earlier session but it was by no means prescriptive, they didn't have to make maps.

The children had free choice, they could do what ever they wanted (within obvious limits no fires, no fighting, cutting eachother hair etc etc). The adults in the room spent the day observing and documenting what took place with photos and notes of conversations, thoughts and ideas.

The point of this being, whatever sparks a childs interest can then be built on and other activites planned. We saw lots of mixing and pouring, talking about and pictures of families and they loved the 'light boxes'. We had loads of ideas and thoughts of where to go next with the children, mixing and pouring can lead into measuring (number work) and cooking (more number, bit of literacy), making swirly patterns with beans and seeds can lead into writing in sand.....can you see where we're going with this?

Child initiated learning........you're more likely to learn if you are interested and engaged....a million miles away from sitting at desks reciting your time tables!!

Anyone interested in this sort of learning could check out the Reggio Emilia Approach.

Apart from those dratted assignments I do rather like learning......anyway what better way to end a busy week than with a spot of spinning in the sunshine...............













Thats Special all spun up now, I hope it doesn't distract me from Cable Cardie as that is coming only slowly but surely with the back and left front almost done.

Untill next time, enjoy the sun x

Off Task!

So there I was lovingly eeking out the spinning of my Special Fibres when A Distraction occurred.........in the shape of 3 knitting mags someone donated to the charity shop my mum helps in.


I never knew how totally fantastic and absorbing they were. I used to occiasionly be seduced by the odd Heat or Closer (if I was stuck in a train station or something) but I would always feel a bit wrong after, they are somewhat voyeristic and I never like the whole focus on who was too fat and who was too skinny. No, from now on if I have some spare pennies I can see one of these mags being a perfect treat!

After three days of thumbing through I couldn't hold out any longer and just had to knit the Cable Cardie and what better yarn to use than the softest of soft Alpaca I had used as a practice spin.

Special went on hold and as the kids are on Easter Hols I had time to spin. There's no need for housework when kids are at home, its just not worth it, plus the fact the Eldest, at the grand old age of 13 is now interested in shopping and money so its always worth while keeping a few jobs free for her to earn some cash!!

Now I know after the time it took to finally finish Hey Teach I swore I would NEVER attempt another garment....but........well its just a bit like childbirth isn't it? Once the pain is over you forget it was ever a struggle. I'm hoping I have learnt some lessons from the last effort and this time.................well this time will be different :-)




Special is not forgotten though, I'm loving taking my time to spin it,
the tricky part will be trying to decide to what to knit.

Suggestions on a postcard? x